Image processing apparatus, radiography system, image processing method, and image processing program

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires a radiographic image captured by a radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from the radiography apparatus, a processing unit that performs predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the radiographic image acquired by the acquisition unit, an output unit that outputs each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose by the processing unit to the outside, and a control unit that performs one of a first control for outputting the processing result from the output unit at timings that are considered to be the same and a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result from the output unit in response to an end of the processing, according to settings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and 
 a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: 
 
       acquire a radiographic image captured by a radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from the radiography apparatus, the plurality of examination purposes including observation of a subject and measurement of at least one of a bone density or a bone mineral content of the subject;
 perform predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the acquired radiographic image, the predetermined processing including first processing of generating a radiographic image for the observation, and second processing of deriving at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content; 
 output each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose to devices outside the image processing apparatus; and 
 perform one of a first control for outputting the processing result at timings that are considered to be the same, or a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result in response to an end of the processing, according to settings set by a user, 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends before the second processing in the second control, the processor outputs the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends after the output of the radiographic image for the observation, the processor outputs an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends before the first processing in the second control, output information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing, and 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends after output of information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content, re-output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing. 
 
     
     
       2. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the timings that are considered to be the same are timings at which an output interval between a plurality of the processing results is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
       3. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform a plurality of examination processing for each examination purpose. 
     
     
       4. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 acquire a first radiographic image captured by irradiating the same subject with radiation of a first energy and a second radiographic image captured by irradiating the same subject with radiation of a second energy different from the first energy from the radiography apparatus, 
 perform the first processing by using the first radiographic image, and 
 perform the second processing by using the first radiographic image and the second radiographic image. 
 
     
     
       5. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 a first radiation detector and a second radiation detector in which a plurality of pixels are disposed, each of which includes a conversion element in which a generated electric charge increases with an increase in a dose of irradiated radiation, are disposed along a direction of irradiation with the radiation, in the radiography apparatus, 
 the first radiographic image is a radiographic image generated by the first radiation detector, and 
 the second radiographic image is a radiographic image generated by the second radiation detector. 
 
     
     
       6. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 a radiation detector in which a plurality of pixels are disposed, each of which includes a conversion element in which a generated electric charge increases with an increase in a dose of irradiated radiation, is disposed in the radiography apparatus, 
 the first radiographic image is a radiographic image generated by the radiation detector due to irradiation with the radiation of the first energy, and 
 the second radiographic image is a radiographic image generated by the radiation detector due to irradiation with the radiation of the second energy different from the first energy. 
 
     
     
       7. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform processing of further deriving information on a comparison result between at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content in the past of the same subject and at least one of the derived bone density or bone mineral content. 
     
     
       8. A radiography system comprising:
 a radiography apparatus that captures a radiographic image according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes; and 
 the image processing apparatus according to  claim 1  that acquires the radiographic image from the radiography apparatus. 
 
     
     
       9. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 in a case in which the first processing and the second processing ends in the first control, output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing. 
 
     
     
       10. An image processing apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and 
 a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: 
 
       acquire a radiographic image captured by a radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from the radiography apparatus, the plurality of examination purposes including observation of a subject and measurement of at least one of a bone density or a bone mineral content of the subject;
 perform predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the acquired radiographic image, the predetermined processing including first processing of generating a radiographic image for the observation, and second processing of deriving at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content; 
 output each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose to devices outside the image processing apparatus; and 
 perform one of a first control for outputting the processing result on a condition that two or more processing have been ended, or a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result to the devices outside on a condition that each processing has been ended, according to settings set by a user, 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends before the second processing in the second control, the processor outputs the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends after the output of the radiographic image for the observation, the processor outputs an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends before the first processing in the second control, output information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing, and 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends after output of information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content, re-output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing. 
 
     
     
       11. An image processing method comprising:
 acquiring a radiographic image captured by a radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from the radiography apparatus; 
 performing predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the acquired radiographic image, the predetermined processing including first processing of generating a radiographic image for the observation, and second processing of deriving at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content; 
 outputting each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose to devices outside the image processing apparatus; and 
 performing one of a first control for outputting the processing result at timings that are considered to be the same or a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result in response to an end of the processing, according to settings set by a user, 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends before the second processing in the second control, the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing is output, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends after the output of the radiographic image for the observation, an image is output in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends before the first processing in the second control, output information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing, and 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends after output of information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content, re-output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing. 
 
     
     
       12. An image processing method comprising:
 acquiring a radiographic image captured by a radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from the radiography apparatus; 
 performing predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the acquired radiographic image, the predetermined processing including first processing of generating a radiographic image for the observation, and second processing of deriving at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content; 
 outputting each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose to devices outside the image processing apparatus; and 
 performing one of a first control for outputting the processing result on a condition that two or more processing have been ended or a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result to the devices outside on a condition that each processing has been ended, according to settings set by a user, 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends before the second processing in the second control, the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing is output, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends after the output of the radiographic image for the observation, an image is output in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends before the first processing in the second control, output information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing, and 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends after output of information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content, re-output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing. 
 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing an image processing program executable by a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:
 acquiring a radiographic image captured by the radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from a radiography apparatus; 
 performing predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the acquired radiographic image acquired, the predetermined processing including first processing of generating a radiographic image for the observation, and second processing of deriving at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content; 
 outputting each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose to devices outside the image processing apparatus; and 
 performing one of a first control for outputting the processing result at timings that are considered to be the same or a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result in response to an end of the processing, according to settings set by a user, 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends before the second processing in the second control, the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing is output, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends after the output of the radiographic image for the observation, an image is output in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends before the first processing in the second control, output information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing, and 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends after output of information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content, re-output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing an image processing program executable by a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:
 acquiring a radiographic image captured by a radiography apparatus according to an imaging order including a plurality of examination purposes from the radiography apparatus; 
 performing predetermined processing for each corresponding examination purpose on the acquired radiographic image, the predetermined processing including first processing of generating a radiographic image for the observation, and second processing of deriving at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content; 
 outputting each processing result of the processing performed for each examination purpose to devices outside the image processing apparatus; and 
 performing one of a first control for outputting the processing result on a condition that two or more processing have been ended or a second control for sequentially outputting the processing result to the devices outside on a condition that each processing has been ended, according to settings set by a user, 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends before the second processing in the second control, the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing is output, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends after the output of the radiographic image for the observation, an image is output in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing, 
 wherein, in a case in which the second processing ends before the first processing in the second control, output information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing, and 
 wherein, in a case in which the first processing ends after output of information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content, re-output an image in which information representing at least one of the bone density or the bone mineral content delivered by the second processing is added to the radiographic image for the observation generated by the first processing.